I am finding that my computer is refusing to boot into Windows XP first
thing every morning at the first switch on but will start on the second or
third attempt. If I go into the bios during one of these failures, I see
that it is unable to auto detect the hard disks. However, the HD light is on
and the CD and floppy lights are flashing.
Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong?

brianf

Brian,

When you say the HDD light is on is that constantly?

In the event logs what does it say? Of course read/write errors, but what
else that is pointing to this problem?

Where does it hang on first boot, BIOS screen?

--
Newbie Coder
(It's just a name)

You said hard disks, as in more than one, plural. Disconnect all but the
hard drive with the windows partition. Any positive difference?
Probably power supply problem if so.

--
Noncompliant

For corporate legal advice regarding the EULA for XP, check with a lawyer
qualified in corporate law.

"BrianF" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:45e54df5$0$2936$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am finding that my computer is refusing to boot into Windows XP first
>thing every morning at the first switch on but will start on the second or
>third attempt. If I go into the bios during one of these failures, I see
>that it is unable to auto detect the hard disks. However, the HD light is
>on and the CD and floppy lights are flashing.
> Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong?
>
> brianf
>
>

BrianF wrote:
> I am finding that my computer is refusing to boot into Windows XP first
> thing every morning at the first switch on but will start on the second or
> third attempt. If I go into the bios during one of these failures, I see
> that it is unable to auto detect the hard disks. However, the HD light is on
> and the CD and floppy lights are flashing.
> Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong?
>
> brianf
>
>
How old is the Hard Drive?

It sounds like it is slow to come ready. It might be wise to get a new drive a and prepare for replacement. Many
people never get a warning.

Pop

BrianF wrote:
> I am finding that my computer is refusing to boot into Windows XP first
> thing every morning at the first switch on but will start on the second or
> third attempt. If I go into the bios during one of these failures, I see
> that it is unable to auto detect the hard disks. However, the HD light is on
> and the CD and floppy lights are flashing.
> Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong?
>
> brianf
>
>

Definitely hardware failure and nothing to do with the operating system.
I would start by swapping out the power supply for a known-working one
since your symptoms are classic ones indicating a failing psu.

Here are general hardware troubleshooting steps:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...ardware_Tshoot


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Newbie Coder" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Brian,
>
> When you say the HDD light is on is that constantly? Yes
>
> In the event logs what does it say? Of course read/write errors, but what
> else that is pointing to this problem? Nothing because Windows does not
> get involved at that point.
>
> Where does it hang on first boot, BIOS screen? Yes. If I leave it too
> long, the Del key will not even operate so re-powering is the only way
> out.
>
brianf

"Noncompliant" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> You said hard disks, as in more than one, plural. Disconnect all but the
> hard drive with the windows partition. Any positive difference?
> Probably power supply problem if so.
>
Yes, I do have a second HD and I added an external HD last weekend.
I did have a situation the previous weekend in which the PC would not boot
due to the fact that I had compressed all data on the slave (data backup)
drive without realising that the machine was booting from that drive - even
though Windows is on the master.
I only discovered that when I went in Recovery Console and saw that the
drive letters were all different to those displayed in Windows.
The machine is now booting (when it does) from the C: drive (master) but it
looks as though the bios has now developed problems.

brianf

"Pop" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OBF$(E-Mail Removed)...
> BrianF wrote:
>> I am finding that my computer is refusing to boot into Windows XP first
>> thing every morning at the first switch on but will start on the second
>> or third attempt. If I go into the bios during one of these failures, I
>> see that it is unable to auto detect the hard disks. However, the HD
>> light is on and the CD and floppy lights are flashing.
>> Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong?
>>
>>
> How old is the Hard Drive?
>
> It sounds like it is slow to come ready. It might be wise to get a new
> drive a and prepare for replacement. Many people never get a warning.
>
Both HDs are two years old, Maxtor 80GB master and 20GB slave. I have run
PowerMax and ChkDsk on them both and they passed without any sign of
trouble.

brianf

"Malke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> BrianF wrote:
>> I am finding that my computer is refusing to boot into Windows XP first
>> thing every morning at the first switch on but will start on the second
>> or third attempt. If I go into the bios during one of these failures, I
>> see that it is unable to auto detect the hard disks. However, the HD
>> light is on and the CD and floppy lights are flashing.
>> Can anyone suggest what might be going wrong?
>>
>> brianf
>>
>>
>
> Definitely hardware failure and nothing to do with the operating system. I
> would start by swapping out the power supply for a known-working one since
> your symptoms are classic ones indicating a failing psu.
>
I must admit that I was also leaning towards a PS failure. Unfortunately I
don't have a spare but I had better get one.

brianf

"BrianF" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:45e598d5$0$2940$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Noncompliant" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> You said hard disks, as in more than one, plural. Disconnect all but the
>> hard drive with the windows partition. Any positive difference?
>> Probably power supply problem if so.
>>
> Yes, I do have a second HD and I added an external HD last weekend.
> I did have a situation the previous weekend in which the PC would not boot
> due to the fact that I had compressed all data on the slave (data backup)
> drive without realising that the machine was booting from that drive -
> even though Windows is on the master.
> I only discovered that when I went in Recovery Console and saw that the
> drive letters were all different to those displayed in Windows.
> The machine is now booting (when it does) from the C: drive (master) but
> it looks as though the bios has now developed problems.
>
> brianf
>

Ho-hum.
You said hard disks, as in more than one, plural. Disconnect all but the
hard drive with the windows partition. Any positive difference?
Probably power supply problem if so.

--
Noncompliant